Video: Minister On Slip Access At Boat Club
Public Works Minister Craig Cannonier fielded questions about public access to the slip at Spanish Boat Club, with the Minister telling the House that in 2002 a MOU was signed with the Spanish Point Boat Club, allowing the public to be able to use the slip by giving the Club a 24-hour notice.
Speaking outside the House on Friday after the exchange, Minister Cannonier said, “In 2002 there was an MOU that was signed on behalf of the Government with Spanish Boat Club, with public access to a public slip. In order to get to that slip, I understand that you have to go through Spanish Boat Club land.
Audio of the Q&A regarding access to the slip in the House on Friday
“It is gated, and I understand from today a new concern that has come up, that the gate essentially has not been made available, or opened, so that people can use the public slip. I was not aware of that. They’ve raised a concern, so now we have to look into it.
“I’m grateful for the question that was asked in raising the concern, that potentially the public cannot use this, or are not getting access to it, but in the MOU itself, it stipulates that if you would like to be able to use the public slip, then you should at least give Spanish Boat Club a 24-hour notice to gain access to the public slip.
“That’s something that I think that we really need to take a look at. It is a public slip, and if we can arrange for public access 24 hours a day without having to access through the Spanish Boat Club, that’s something that we need to look at.
Minister Cannonier speaking on the access to the boat slip:
“Again, it is a new concern that has come up. I too, at the end of the day when I looked at it … ‘Well this is a public slip. Why are we having to talk to or discuss with Spanish Boat Club getting access to it?’
“That’s something now that we need to take a look at, but again, in the 2002 MOU by the previous Government, it was agreed that they would have to contact Spanish Boat Club to get access.”
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BREAKING NEWS!
It’s clear the PLP don’t do their homework (or even remember what they’ve done). Amnesia? How embarrassing! It’s MPs’ obligation to show up to work prepared!
Perhaps the PLP have ALSO forgotten $1.6b in debt they built? Perhaps they forgot their spending after each $100million? Who knows…?
But it sure explains why they won’t admit to it! They cannot remember…amnesiacs!
If it weren’t so serious, I’d be laughing!
Well that’s the PLP these days. They seem to resemble the Republicans these days by “forgetting” everything they did while in Government.
“Oh this is a problem? Then it must be the OBA’s fault cuz we have no recollection of it”.
well then the OBA rectifying the situation should be easy.
this clearly should be rectified. No public slip should have to rely on a private club to give the public access. and 24 hours notice is crazy.
I was denied access all of last year.
The slip is a safety hazard, walls are on the verge of collapsing. It is unsafe for anyone to use. Maybe the slip at Devonshire dock could be used if it wasn’t blocked by abandoned boats. You don’t hear anybody crying about that.
The slip itself is in horrible shape and I stopped using it to launch my whaler about two years ago.
Years ago there was an idea to put in a ramp running down the eastern wall of SPBC. That ramp was to be less steep than the existing one and would allow for bigger boats to be launched and pulled. If such a ramp could be approved by Planning these days then maybe stakeholders would be willing to pool their funds and make it happen, especially given the existing ramp is inadequate and sounds to be in a dangerous state.
If it is a public slip, the Government needs to ensure it is available 24 7 , and if some-one is blocking its availability deliberately then Governent needs to seek a court injunction. Such legal costs should be borne by the offending club, in this instance.
The slip was never available 24 hrs. to the public. When I was able to use it in 2014, I had to be back by 10pm, their rules if I wanted to use it.
Although it needs some repair, I was able to use it. And when I asked if I could still come and use the slip, I was discouraged